Written Answers

Tuesday 5 September 2000

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to compensate the arable sector for the impact of the Sterling/Euro exchange rate which prevailed during 1999 before the deadline for European Commission applications in October 2000.

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to assist cereal farmers.

Ross Finnie: No decision has yet been taken on the latest available tranche of agrimoney compensation for the cereals sector, which, like all agrimoney payments can only be made on a UK basis. I will be discussing this matter further with other Agriculture Ministers before the end-October deadline and I will inform Parliament of the decision at the appropriate time.

  Scottish cereal producers have already received over £19 million in agrimoney payments last year. They are due to receive a further £6 million later this year with a further £3 million next year.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what procedure airports must follow to apply to be considered for public service obligation air routes.

Sarah Boyack: Airport operators can discuss the imposition of public service obligations (PSOs) on air routes with the relevant local authorities. It is for local authorities to approach the Scottish Executive with an economically and socially necessary case for a new PSO in accordance with the criteria contained within EC Regulation 2408/92.

Air Services

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Glasgow Prestwick International has ever been asked to tender or apply to tender for public service obligation air routes.

Sarah Boyack: No.

Cancer

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when a conclusion will be reached on whether there is an increased national requirement for radiotherapy equipment and staffing, given the current incidence of cancers and level of access to radiotherapy treatment.

Susan Deacon: Cancer is one of three clinical priorities for the NHS in Scotland. The Scottish Executive, in conjunction with the Scottish Cancer Group, has worked in close collaboration with the NHS to develop a coherent programme of linear accelerator refurbishment and replacement. We have already committed £13.2 million from the NHS Capital Modernisation Fund to provide state of the art linear accelerators and treatment planning computers for the delivery of radiotherapy in Scotland’s five Cancer Centres. Details of how this is being invested to improve cancer services are set out in my earlier answer to question S1W-8501.

  The next and subsequent phases of the ongoing rolling programme are currently being addressed by the Executive’s Strategic Review Group which has a remit to determine equipment needs across the NHS in Scotland.

  So far as staffing is concerned the annual joint exercise between the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education, has agreed that an additional seven clinical oncology (radiotherapy) Specialist Registrar posts should be created. Full details are set out in my response to question S1W-8965.

Dental Care

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish a dental health strategy in order to address issues regarding access to dental services in rural Scotland.

Susan Deacon: An action plan for dental services in Scotland was published on 18 August 2000. The plan addresses issues of service availability and access to dental services. It is available on the Scottish Executive website at www.scotland.gov.uk.

Dental Care

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which rural towns in Grampian do not have an NHS dental service.

Iain Gray: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for Grampian Primary Care NHS Trust.

Dental Care

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which rural towns in Grampian are served only part-time by an NHS dentist.

Iain Gray: There is no definition of "part-time" in NHS general dental services. Since general dental practices are independent, privately owned businesses, the dentists themselves decide on the hours which will constitute their working week and on which patients to accept under NHS arrangements.

Dental Care

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Grampian are waiting to register with an NHS dentist.

Iain Gray: Individual general dental practitioners who are independent businesses may hold lists of patients wishing to be treated in their practices but no lists are held centrally.

Dental Care

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS dentists in Grampian provide an emergency service and where these dentists are located.

Iain Gray: Dentists throughout Grampian who have patients registered with them under NHS capitation or continuing care arrangements are required to provide emergency cover to these patients under their NHS terms of service. Details of emergency dental services available to non-registered patients may be obtained from Grampian Primary Care NHS Trust.

Dental Care

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which rural towns in Tayside do not have an NHS dental service.

Iain Gray: This information is not held centrally and is a matter for Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust.

Dental Care

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which rural towns in Tayside are served only part-time by an NHS dentist.

Iain Gray: There is no definition of "part-time" in NHS general dental services. Since general dental practices are independent, privately owned businesses, the dentists themselves decide on the hours which will constitute their working week and on which patients to accept under NHS arrangements.

Dental Care

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Tayside are waiting to register with an NHS dentist.

Iain Gray: Individual general dental practitioners who are private businesses may hold lists of patients wishing to be treated in their practices but no lists are held centrally.

Dental Care

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS dentists in Tayside provide an emergency service and where these dentists are located.

Iain Gray: Dentists throughout Tayside who have patients registered with them under NHS capitation or continuing care arrangements are required to provide emergency cover to these patients under their NHS terms of service. Details of emergency dental services available to unregistered patients may be obtained from Tayside Primary Care NHS Trust.

Education

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list who will conduct the independent inquiry into the processing and circulation of school examination results, what the inquiry remit will be and when it will be expected to publish its report.

Mr Sam Galbraith: As I announced on Friday 18 August, the inquiry will cover all operational and administrative issues surrounding production of the results for National Qualifications, "old" Highers, Certificates of Sixth year Studies and Standard Grades. The successful consultants will be asked to investigate all aspects of data handling, from the time information leaves the hands of teachers, lecturers or markers to the receipt of results by candidates, centres and UCAS. They will be asked to investigate which parts of the process led to delays and incompleteness in the results and to make recommendations for operational changes to avoid these being repeated next year. The remit also covers the quality assurance procedures surrounding exam marking.

  Potential consultants were issued with a specification and an invitation to tender on Friday 18 August and I will make a further announcement after Parliament returns on 6 September.

Further Education

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the weighted student unit of measurement (SUMS) delivered per member of teaching staff is in each further education college for each year since incorporation.

Nicol Stephen: The information requested is given in the following table, subject to the fact that the numbers of part-time teaching staff have been converted, for comparative purposes, to Full-Time Equivalents.

  Scottish Further Education Colleges (Incorporated) - Weighted Student Units of Measurement (SUMs)

  FTE Teaching Staff

  


Name of Establishment


1998-99


1997-98


1996-97



 

Weighted SUMs


FTE Teaching


WS/
FTE


Weighted SUMs


FTE Teaching


WS/
FTE


Weighted SUMs


FTE Teaching


WS/
FTE




Aberdeen College


133,837


292.9


456.9


124,634


268.0


465.1


111,448 


329.2


338.6




Angus College


34,486


99.4


347.0


31,142


97.5


319.3


28,564 


93.4


305.8




Anniesland College


42,987


141.5


303.7


40,493


133.6


303.1


37,670 


126.4


298.1




Ayr College


48,073


165.4


290.6


45,249


140.8


321.4


 39,424 


175.3


224.9




Banff & Buchan College of Further 
Education


32,943


102.1


322.8


31,404


95.2


329.8


 28,358 


96.8


293.0




The Barony College


8,499


34.9


243.5


7,595


30.1


252.3


6,873


23.5


292.7




Bell College of Technology


30,876


222.1


139.0


30,166


233.3


129.3


28,367


221.1


128.3




Borders College


31,549


110.6


285.2


31,460


103.1


305.2


28,138


96.6


291.3




South Lanarkshire College* 


32,407


115.6


280.3


31,982


126.1


253.6


30,587


126.4


242.0




Cardonald College


65,101


212.4


306.6


62,780


201.3


311.8


55,104


205.4


268.3




Central College of Commerce


41,328


136.4


303.1


40,865


127.6


320.3


41,062


141.0


291.2




Clackmannan College of Further Education


19,652


65.6


299.5


18,936


67.4


281.1


17,769


62.0


286.6




Clydebank College 


47,128


174.1


270.8


50,659


214.5


236.2


50,890


231.3


220.0




Coatbridge College


31,405


108.5


289.4


30,420


116.5


261.2


29,064


116.0


250.6




Cumbernauld College


23,409


79.1


295.9


25,621


84.3


303.7


22,384


85.4


262.2




Dumfries & Galloway College


36,247


152.8


237.3


35,534


138.8


256.0


35,588


142.0


250.6




Dundee College


87,788


242.2


362.5


83,539


288.0


290.1


80,564


277.0


290.8




Elmwood College


24,268


71.8


338.1


26,688


78.6


339.5


21,522


98.2


219.2




Falkirk College of Further & 
Higher Education


76,183


252.7


301.5


74,040


219.2


337.8


68,936


210.8


327.0




Fife College of Further and Higher 
Education


65,678


248.6


264.2


62,329


205.8


302.9


55,158


194.7


283.3




Glasgow College of Building and Printing


51,727


162.1


319.1


51,310


164.6


311.7


52,571


161.6


325.4




Glasgow College of Food Technology


25,615


68.8


372.1


24,107


80.1


301.1


25,100


87.8


285.8




Glasgow College of Nautical Studies


34,935


122.9


284.4


32,637


119.7


272.6


34,574


147.0


235.3




Glenrothes College


43,121


152.5


282.7


40,750


156.4


260.6


39,537


166.7


237.1




Inverness College


49,198


165.9


296.5


49,824


161.0


309.4


44,005


173.3


254.0




James Watt College of Further & 
Higher Education 


100,634


248.3


405.4


92,891


240.1


386.9


84,128


261.1


322.2




Jewel & Esk Valley College


56,780


175.2


324.1


57,500


170.9


336.4


54,383


184.4


294.9




John Wheatley College


26,913


84.0


320.3


26,680


82.8


322.1


25,957


87.4


296.9




Kilmarnock College


44,811


159.7


280.6


46,343


150.0


309.0


42,325


154.0


274.8




Langside College


43,974


182.3


241.2


53,769


206.1


260.9


46,666


197.6


236.1




Lauder College


45,071


139.1


324.0


46,568


150.7


309.1


44,655


160.0


279.1




Lews Castle College


12,432


58.0


214.3


13,116


53.5


245.1


11,092


55.8


198.9




Moray College


35,622


89.6


397.6


37,604


93.9


400.4


33,118


106.4


311.1




Motherwell College


67,217


197.3


340.6


65,145


197.5


329.8


62,430


248.9


250.8




North Glasgow College


39,489


141.8


278.5


39,769


155.0


256.6


36,393


156.4


232.7




Oatridge Agricultural College


12,379


42.9


288.6


11,814


40.1


294.8


11,954


43.4


275.4




Perth College


46,245


158.1


292.5


41,877


138.8


301.8


39,337


150.2


261.8




Reid Kerr College


65,962


222.1


297.0


66,107


236.7


279.3


61,251


267.5


229.0




Stevenson College


76,909


280.1


274.6


73,950


284.7


259.8


83,965


297.9


281.8




Stow College


49,772


128.2


388.2


52,203


127.5


409.4


35,406


127.6


277.6




Edinburgh’s Telford College 


104,469


314.0


332.7


104,087


196.0


531.1


105,476


372.7


283.0




The North Highland College**


19,791


68.4


289.2


20,797


67.0


310.2


19,655


72.7


270.4




West Lothian College


30,245


115.7


261.3


32,351


129.7


249.4


32,216


132.0


244.0




  


Name of Establishment


1995-96


1994-95



 

Weighted SUMs


FTE Teaching


WS/
FTE


Weighted SUMs


FTE Teaching


WS/
FTE




Aberdeen College


 107,004 


358.8


298.2


 100,486 


382.1


263.0




Angus College


 24,794 


85.5


290.0


 23,659 


89.7


263.8




Anniesland College


 33,706 


130.5


258.3


 30,375 


131.2


231.5




Ayr College


 33,629 


133.1


252.7


 28,979 


146.5


197.8




Banff & Buchan College of Further 
Education


 25,993 


91.8


283.1


 23,124 


84.1


275.0




The Barony College


 5,983 


25.6


233.7


 6,924 


25.8


268.4




Bell College of Technology


 27,920 


165.6


168.6


 30,215 


167.8


180.1




Borders College


 28,377 


105.3


269.5


 24,377 


92.2


264.4




South Lanarkshire College* 


 29,996 


135.2


221.9


 26,712 


138.7


192.6




Cardonald College


 48,811 


238.5


204.7


 45,443 


223.3


203.5




Central College of Commerce


 35,671 


141.1


252.8


 33,342 


134.6


247.7




Clackmannan College of Further Education


 15,134 


64.5


234.6


 14,383 


69.7


206.4




Clydebank College 


 44,544 


226.7


196.5


 43,214 


225.4


191.7




Coatbridge College


 26,002 


108.9


238.8


 22,040 


117.7


187.3




Cumbernauld College


 19,890 


83.2


239.1


 17,845 


77.4


230.6




Dumfries & Galloway College


 34,752 


142.8


243.4


 31,598 


148.3


213.1




Dundee College


 67,589 


283.2


238.7


 64,738 


297.1


217.9




Elmwood College


 19,315 


76.6


252.2


 19,878 


71.7


277.2




Falkirk College of Further & 
Higher Education


 53,856 


216.7


248.5


 51,550 


230.0


224.1




Fife College of Further and Higher 
Education


 46,167 


220.8


209.1


 46,219 


218.2


211.8




Glasgow College of Building and Printing


 47,189 


161.9


291.5


 39,125 


159.4


245.5




Glasgow College of Food Technology


 21,789 


89.1


244.5


 20,152 


95.4


211.2




Glasgow College of Nautical Studies


 28,186 


125.5


224.6


 21,306 


119.8


177.8




Glenrothes College


 35,055 


160.2


218.8


 29,870 


159.0


187.9




Inverness College


 38,949 


185


210.5


 37,285 


209.7


177.8




James Watt College of Further & 
Higher Education 


 71,720 


247


290.4


 63,987 


265.0


241.5




Jewel & Esk Valley College


 48,632 


187.8


259.0


 40,647 


202.2


201.0




John Wheatley College


 23,895 


88.3


270.6


 22,148 


82.4


268.8




Kilmarnock College


 38,629 


146.7


263.3


 32,913 


143.5


229.4




Langside College


 45,973 


191.2


240.4


 41,597 


186.6


222.9




Lauder College


 39,788 


152.8


260.4


 38,619 


152.2


253.7




Lews Castle College


 10,086 


56


180.1


 10,714 


59.4


180.4




Moray College


 31,747 


106.9


297.0


 29,583 


106.1


278.8




Motherwell College


 60,311 


249.4


241.8


 53,567 


226.2


236.8




North Glasgow College


 35,614 


155.9


228.4


 36,485 


178.9


203.9




Oatridge Agricultural College


 10,850 


41.4


262.1


 9,683 


42.0


230.5




Perth College


 37,299 


145.5


256.4


 39,341 


167.6


234.7




Reid Kerr College


 59,470 


269


221.1


 57,779 


246.0


234.9




Stevenson College


 79,869 


305.2


261.7


 62,351 


326.9


190.7




Stow College


 34,832 


119.1


292.5


 31,999 


135.6


236.0




Edinburgh’s Telford College 


 94,969 


383.7


247.5


 84,770 


356.6


237.7




The North Highland College**


 15,755 


67


235.1


 13,862 


68.1


203.6




West Lothian College


 27,300 


130.1


209.8


 25,485 


143.2


178.0




  Sources: Weighted SUMs - Further Education in Scotland - 1994,1995,1996,1997, 1998 and 1999.

  Full-Time Equivalent: Teaching Staff - Annual Statistical staffing returns (1994-95 to the Scottish Office, 1998-99 to the Scottish Further Education Funding Council).

  Notes:

  1. * South Lanarkshire College was formerly known as Cambuslang College (up until 1 March 1999).

  2. ** The North Highland College was formerly known as Thurso College (up until 1 December 1999).

  3. FE colleges employ many part-time staff. In order for meaningful comparisons to be made, it has been necessary to express these as numbers of Full-time Equivalents (FTE). Similarly, the FTE is shown of staff employed for only part of a year.

  4. From 1997-98 onwards, "teaching staff" is defined as staff involved in direct provision of teaching for at least 10% of their contracted time. Prior to this, the terminology used was "academic staff". This included teaching staff and managerial staff with a direct responsibility for the quality of teaching (e.g. Principal, Director, Head of Department).

  5. This table does not include figures for Shetland College of Education, Orkney College and Sabhal Mor Ostaig which are local authority run (not incorporated).

  6. A staffing return covering the academic year as a whole was introduced only in 1994-95. Prior to this time, "snapshot" staff numbers only were collected in the last week of October. Therefore, figures for 1993-94 are not directly comparable with the figures from 1994-95 onwards. For this reason, 1993-94 figures are not included in this table.

  7. The "Weighted SUMs per number of FTE teaching staff" ratio does not take account of staff costs. A table of "Staff Costs per WSUM", as an indicator of college "performance", has been published each year since 1993 in the appendices to the series of annual reports by the Secretary of State for Scotland entitled "Further Education in Scotland". These are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

  8. A recent study into managing costs within FE colleges (including an examination of strategies for managing staff costs) was undertaken by the National Audit Office, the results of which were published in its report: "Scottish Further Education Colleges: Managing Costs" (17 June 1999 HC 493). This report is also available in SPICe.

Genetically Modified Crops

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is planned to control and monitor any accidental interactions between different artificial gene constructs and their products as they arise in Scottish crops.

Ross Finnie: All genetically modified crops that are being grown in Scotland have been scientifically evaluated to assess their safety in relation to human health and the environment. This independent assessment, which is carried out by the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE), includes the identification of any characteristics of the GMO which have the potential to cause harm. All the crops to be grown in Scotland have satisfied the stringent ACRE risk assessment.

  Scientific monitoring and inspection arrangements are in place at all sites where consent has been granted to release genetically modified material. This monitoring extends to the locality where the release has taken place and includes post-trial monitoring programmes.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the adequacy of the supply of mobile phones for community care and district nurses in Scotland, given the potential implications for nurse safety as well as patient care.

Susan Deacon: It is for NHS employers to determine adequate levels of mobile phone provision for community care and district nurses in Scotland.

  Following the launch of the Occupational Health and Safety Strategy, Towards a Safer, Healthier Workplace in December 1999, the Scottish Executive Health Department made £500,000 available to health boards in Scotland to enable NHS employers to consider the introduction of safety and security measures including the provision of mobile phones for community nurses, midwives and health visitors.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider the provision of mobile phones for social workers in the community, given the potential benefits in relation to staff safety as well as client care.

Iain Gray: It is for the local authorities or employers of social workers to determine the appropriate level of technical aids and assistance their staff should have.

  The Association of Directors of Social Work (ADSW) has identified that mobile phones can reduce the threat of violence against staff. [Management Resource Pack "Supporting Front Line Staff" – ADSW, December 1999.]

Planning

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs is aware that Dumfries and Galloway Council has refused planning permission for the landfill/landraising facility at Dry Rig, Ae Forest, Dumfriesshire and what discussions the Minister has had or intends to have with the Forestry Commission about Forest Enterprise’s continued involvement in this application.

Mr John Home Robertson: Yes, I know that the council has refused planning permission for this development. The Forestry Commission has taken account of the representations made by the local community, as well as the council’s decision, and has decided that it will not allow anyone to establish a landfill site at Dry Rig in Ae Forest. In view of this, I have no plans to discuss the matter with the Forestry Commission.

Prison Service

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether cost or quality will be the principal factor in assessing tenders for the general medical practice for the Scottish Prison Service.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Both cost and quality will be factors.

Prison Service

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give an assurance that any new arrangement for general medical practitioner services in the Scottish Prison Service will ensure that quality of care to prisoners complies with the 8 April 1998 recommendation of the European Council of Ministers.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service aims to continue to deliver medical services across Scottish prisons in accordance with the Council of Europe’s recommendations on the Ethical and Organisational Aspects of Health Care in Prison.

Prison Service

Euan Robson (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to ring-fence funding for the Association of Visiting Committees for Scottish Penal Establishments in order to facilitate it carrying out its statutory duties.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service already allocates a specific budget each year to cover the cost of the association’s activities, and expenditure incurred in respect of the association is paid direct from that budget. It has no plans at present to make any change in these arrangements.

Prison Service

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average annual cost per prisoner is in each prison and young offenders’ institute.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  This information is not available. For the year 1998-99, the average cost per prisoner place for the SPS as a whole was £26,912 as reported in the SPS Annual Report for that year.

Prison Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether general medical services in the Scottish Prison Service will in future be provided by qualified general practitioners.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  General medical services will continue to be provided by qualified General Medical Practitioners.

Prison Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether prisoners will receive an equivalent level of care and access to treatment as elsewhere in the NHS in Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Prisoners will continue to receive a level of health care provision equivalent to that available in the wider community, while taking into account the constraints that custody imposes.

Prison Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how issues of consent and confidentiality in relation to medical treatment can be assured for prisoners in Scotland’s jails.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Mr Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  Doctors providing services within Scottish prisons are bound by the same rules of confidentiality and consent as those working in the wider community.

Residential Care

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors local authority provision of nursing home or residential care.

Iain Gray: Statistics on the local authority provision of residential care are   collected annually and analyses are published   in statistics information notes. We do not currently have arrangements to monitor standards but we will be bringing forward legislation to establish an independent national body – the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care – to monitor the quality of care in all care homes.

Residential Care

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to deal with any violence against staff in children’s homes in Glasgow.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This is a matter for the local authority and the managers of the establishments. Managers are required by statute to determine arrangements for sanctions, relevant to the care and control of children looked after and in accordance with stated functions and objectives. Each establishment must have a clear written procedure on the management of challenging behaviour including the use of restraint.

Residential Care

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the adequacy of staffing levels and training levels for staff in children’s homes in Glasgow.

Mr Sam Galbraith: No. It is for the local authority and the managers of individual establishments to ensure appropriate staffing levels and training. At national level, we have committed £6.2 million over the next three years to setting up the Residential Childcare Training Initiative. This will ensure appropriate training is available to enable those working in residential homes to meet national care standards.

Roads

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide additional funding to local authorities in North East Scotland to enable them to upgrade the Inverurie to Keith section of the A96.

Sarah Boyack: The A96 is a trunk road and responsibility for upgrading and funding the route lies with the Scottish Executive.

  In March I announced the provision of climbing lanes at Coachford and Newtongarry on the A96 Inverurie to Keith section. The schemes have a combined estimated cost of £4.5 million and, subject to satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures, are due for completion in 2003.

Scottish Executive Correspondence

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many letters it received from (a) MPs and (b) MSPs concerning constituency issues in the period from 1 July 1999 to 7 July 2000.

Mr Tom McCabe: This information is not available. The logging system of the Scottish Executive records only a broad description of the subject matter of MP’s and MSP’s letters. From the information recorded it is not possible to identify whether a letter has been written on behalf of a constituent or if it is about a local constituency matter.

Textile Industry

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to News Release SE 1630/2000 of 6 June 2000, how much of the new resources allocated to textile initiatives is to be allocated to Scotland, to which projects, and when.

Henry McLeish: The package of support measures for the textile sector announced by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 6 June did not allocate resources to particular parts of the UK. Resources will be allocated as the industry and support agencies come forward with good projects which meet the necessary criteria in the various initiatives. The Scottish Executive and Enterprise Networks are working closely with the DTI to establish how the Scottish textile industry can take full advantage of these new initiatives. The Scottish Textile Forum will also be consulted as these plans are drawn up.

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what effect it estimates an increase in public liquid petroleum gas outlets would have on tourism in Scotland, in particular in the Highlands and Islands, and what the reasons are for its view.

Henry McLeish: No specific research has been carried out into the impact of an increase in LPG outlets on the tourism industry in Scotland. I would expect, however, that the impact would be a positive one.